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New Reason to Believe That 'Everything Happens for a Reason'

Ever find yourself telling yourself that "everything happens for a reason"? Or knocking on wood to prevent something terrible from happening?These are examples of "magical thinking," according to science writer Matthew Hutson, author of the recently released The 7 Laws...

Ever find yourself telling yourself that "everything happens for a reason"? Or knocking on wood to prevent something terrible from happening?

These are examples of "magical thinking," according to science writer Matthew Hutson, author of the recently released The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane, from Hudson Street/Penguin.

According to Hutson, magical thinking can actually be good for you -- and may even indirectly help you get the results you are looking for. Here's a look at Hutson's "7 Laws," and how they can help you cope in your day-to-day life:

Objects carry essences. We value family heirlooms and celeb memorabilia more than identical duplicates, as if they carry a non-physical essence from their previous owners.

How this is useful: Having an object that belonged to someone you love or admire can make you feel closer to that person, or it could inspire you.

Symbols have power. We believe that symbols, rituals or objects can summon what they represent. For example, a voodoo doll represents another person, and makes us feel as if the doll and the person were connected somehow. Another example: People feel nervous cutting up a photo of their mother.

How this is useful: Go ahead and cut up that photo of your ex-boyfriend -- it might make you feel better. "There's actually a study on the use of physical metaphors. People wrote about things that troubled them, placed them in an envelope and sealed it, and closing off certain concerns helped them cope," Hutson says.

Actions have distant consequences. This is all about how we use superstitious rituals to enhance our luck, like crossing our fingers, knocking on wood or wearing lucky hats, and avoid taboo acts to avoid bad luck (like stepping on cracks in the sidewalk).

How this is useful: It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you're wearing your lucky hat, it can actually make you feel more confident. In one study, led by the psychologist Lysann Damisch of the University of Cologne, subjects were given a golf ball, and half of them were told that the ball was lucky. Those subjects with a "lucky" ball drained 35 percent more putts than those with a "regular" ball, Hutson says.

The mind knows no bounds. This covers our belief in mind over matter, and also ESP and "the law of attraction" -- believing that if you picture an outcome, then it's more likely to happen (The Secret is all about magical thinking, Hutson says.)

How this is useful: "Visualization actually does work, just not through its purported means. It works when it increases optimism, and optimism can help you achieve success," Huston says. "So you wouldn't put all of your money in the lottery thinking that just because you pictured yourself winning the lottery, you're going to win. It only works in situations were confidence can alter your performance. For example, if you go on a job interview picturing success, you'll feel and appear more confident expecting the interviewer to receive you warmly, and you'll smile, and the interviewer will be warm back to you."

The soul lives on. We believe in souls that survive our biological death, the afterlife, ghosts, etc. However, a lot of religious, mystical or superstitious people will say this is all true, rather than "magical thinking."

How this is useful: If you put effort into building a legacy, and believe that whatever creative acts you do in your life live on past your death, you have the sense that you can benefit later from creating positive changes in the world during your lifetime. In other words, you're more likely to make changes while you're alive to invest in your legacy. For example, if you bequeath money to an organization that is strong and thriving, you might feel that in some way, you will also be strong and thriving (after your death).

This is also effective after loved ones die: if you believe you can feel their presence, this might help you cope. "There needs to be more research on this, but people tend to feel a sensed presence in the year after a loved one dies -- it could be coping mechanism. As long as it doesn't prevent you from eventually moving on, it might be helping," Hutson says.

The world is alive. This is all about how we anthropomorphize everything around us -- we yell at our laptops and our cars when they break down, we treat our pets as if they were human companions.

How this is useful: Therapy pets have been proven to be beneficial -- people who are ill or elderly have better health when they have a pet or interact with an animal, even a therapy robot.

Everything happens for a reason. We tend to believe in destiny, fate, karma and divine intervention, and we feel that certain things were meant to be. For example, you feel like you were meant to go to the party where you met your husband. Of if you lose your job, it's because you were meant to find something more fulfilling.

How this is useful: If something bad happens, believing "everything happens for a reason" can help you cope, grow and find benefits. In a study led by psychologist Kenneth Pargament of Bowling Green State University, students who saw a negative event as "part of God's plan" became more open to new perspectives, more intimate in their relationships and more persistent in overcoming challenges, Hutson says.

If something good happens, you can also see it as a sign that you're on the right track and the universe cares about you doing the right thing. Why not? It might just make you feel better!